


this is how it starts

by LorienofLoth



Series: they say that clan's all trouble (and maybe they're right) [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 04:59:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8519395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LorienofLoth/pseuds/LorienofLoth
Summary: Everything is leading up to this point.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is hideously pretentious and I do apologise.

This is how it starts: Arthur Shelby is sat on yellow sheets on a bed by an open window, ignoring the chatter from the rest of his dormitory.

No, earlier. This is how it starts: he’s sat in a classroom and it’s stiflingly hot. His sweat sits on his skin, sticky and congealing into his clothes, and the sun is heavy on his back. He is staring at the blackboard, at the white lines and strokes and squiggles his teacher has drawn there and tapping the desk angrily, a tap-tap-tap which gets him angry looks from his neighbour.

‘Mr Shelby, would you care to read?’ 

And this is how it starts: Arthur stares at the blackboard and the white lines and strokes and squiggles in his stiflingly hot classroom and the blackboard bursts into flames.

Girls scream. The teacher screams. A boy jumps out of a window and Arthur follows him, one of a tide of children escaping that stiflingly hot classroom.

No, earlier. This is how it starts: he is in bed with his siblings, huddled together for warmth in the depths of winter. John has stopped shivering, but he still feels ice-cold to the touch. Downstairs a door slams, and they pull closer as angry voices fill the house.

‘Why are you so fucking useless, woman? Why is everyone in this house useless?’

And then the thud of footsteps on the stairs, as if they’re being climbed by a giant.

And this is how it starts: the giant pulls the door open, whisky on his breath, a looming shadow and looks at the bed. He sways, and shouts, ‘I’ll tan your fucking hides when I find you.’ 

No, later. This is how it starts: an old man is sat gingerly in their kitchen, having inspected all of their chairs before selecting one, brushing it ostentatiously before sitting down. Arthur seethes, pictures him with a smile cut into his fucking sneering face as the man hands him a letter. He throws it aside, only for the man to roll his eyes.

Ada snatches the letter up and reads it aloud for all of them. Dear Mr Shelby. Arthur laughs and laughs because this is the most ridiculous con he’s ever heard of and just how stupid does this old man think they are? 

This is how it starts: the old man says, ‘do unusual things ever happen around you? Any of you?’

And Arthur can’t say no. 

No, earlier, this is how it starts: Tommy is a baby and crying crying crying all the time. Their mam says he has colic and their da says he’s just a fucking headcase like their ma but Arthur just wants him to shut up shut up shut up because he never stops crying and Arthur wants to cry but he doesn’t just cry because he’s not a baby and it isn’t fair and he toddles over to Tommy to tell him to shut up but Tommy waves his spit-covered hand at him, going silent and suddenly the spit on his hand turns into bubbles and floats around them both and Arthur laughs and Tommy looks at him with his big baby eyes for a second before they’re both laughing and maybe babies aren’t so rubbish after all. 

No, later. This is how it starts: Ada comes home from school in tears because Molly Johnson says she isn’t allowed to be friends with the likes of Ada Shelby anymore, and Arthur holds her tight and threatens to shove Molly Johnson in the cut and says Ada can do better anyway.

This is how it starts: the next day at school Molly Johnson’s dress is muddy and torn, her hair is tangled and her face is dirty no matter how much she washes it. 

No, later. This is how it starts: John is rummaging through Arthur’s new school things, whilst Ada darns his trousers and Tommy stares intently at a textbook—all bought with a ‘hardship fund’ by the man with a sneer and doesn’t that leave a taste like ash in Arthur’s mouth? 

And this is how it starts. Tommy says, ‘If magic is real we could do anything.’


End file.
